Possession
by oStilloDreamingo
Summary: - ON HOLD - Sesshoumaru encounters Inuyasha on his mortal night, setting off a chain of events that will forever change the hanyou's relationships with the Shard Hunters, his half brother and his undead love. Darkish. One-sided Inucest.
1. Chapter 1

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

**Warnings:** Kagome fans beware – some plot related bashing involved. Umm... tiny bit of gore. Not really worth mentioning.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor am I making any monetary profits from posting this fan fiction.

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

**Possession  
**

**By oStilloDreamingo**

**Chapter 1**

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

Inuyasha stuffed his arms further up the sleeves of his fire-rat haori, as if that would help him get any warmer. Despite the chill in the night air, he did not dare build a fire. A fire signalled the presence of a human and could be tracked by both demons and wild animals with regrettable ease. Inuyasha growled softly in annoyance creating a pathetic imitation of his usual realistically feral tones. It was the night of the new moon, the one night of the month when the hanyou forcibly transformed into his human form at sundown only to revert back to his hanyou form at sunrise. Inuyasha could barely see his nose before his face in the darkness, and was lucky enough to find himself a shelter in time before the sun had set. Maybe it was not such a great idea to take off in a huff on the eve of the new moon, but his companions in the shard hunter group were really getting on his nerves and he desperately needed a break from their company, dangerous or not. Now he could only hope that he had covered his tracks well enough, and that no other creature would come seeking refuge in the cave he had found.

Inuyasha growled out again, already missing his demon constitution. _Stupid humans and their frailties…_ He suspected that Kagome, Miroku and Sango were already asleep, tucked away snugly in their bedrolls. His supposed "pack mates" probably had no clue as to the moon phase and had probably once again assumed that the hanyou was off sulking in the forest after another of his and Kagome's arguments.

A "lover's tiff" Miroku called them. Inuyasha had to snort at that.

_Lover's tiff, indeed._

Miroku would have been correct in his assumption, however the only flaws in the monk's reasoning were that Inuyasha and Kagome were a far cry from being lovers, and a typical spat between lovers did not involve one physically abusing their beloved. Of course the fact that the monk was so frequently on the receiving end of Sango's Hiraikotsu might have given him a warped view of the world. Inuyasha wondered if Miroku and Sango can be considered lovers. The two barely spoke to each other outside of conversations involving Naraku, Kohaku or the Kazaana, and their physical interactions were limited to Sango knocking the living daylights out of the monk when Miroku attempted to grope the Taijiya. The monk's lecherous nature overrode his survival instincts far too frequently.

Inuyasha's hand withdrew from the folds of his sleeve to gingerly touch the bruise on the side of his head hidden beneath his inky hair. At times like this, he was glad that in his hanyou form his ears were positioned high above his head, safely out of harms way when he was sent rapidly plummeting towards the earth yanked down by his neck. The damned wench had "sat" him repeatedly and painfully upon returning from her era across the well. Something about "failing entrance examinations" or something because of Inuyasha's inability to leave her alone when she needed to study…

_Yeah sure, blame the hanyou for your own stupidity_, Inuyasha thought privately.

Oh, and um… he might have also said that out loud. It had hurt both mentally and physically when Kagome had "sat" him into the ground; it had hurt even more to realize that as time passed and the occurrence became more frequent, the other members of the shard hunter group took no notice of the abuse the schoolgirl inflicted upon their hanyou protector.

Inuyasha had watched the girl from the future lug her heavy cache of schoolbooks (heavy for a human that is) over from her time into Kaede's hut, where she unfailingly unloaded them and then conveniently "forgot" to bring them along when the group would start moving again. It was amazing how she did not "forget" to unload the supply of beauty products, crayons, blank notebooks and instant foodstuff from the hideous yellow bag she insisted on lugging around.

Originally, Kagome had insisted that Inuyasha carry her heavy book bag for her as it was just too much for her muscles. Inuyasha had promptly responded to that by exclaiming that he was not her pack mule and she should be grateful that he did not shred her throat open for suggesting such a thing. Of course Inuyasha then found his piece being promptly interrupted as he found himself spitting out saliva and dirt. Inuyasha had later on followed Kagome across the well into the future where she complained to her age-mates about her inconsiderate "boyfriend" who refused to do the "gentlemanly thing" and carry his "girlfriend's" book bag for her. Inuyasha had been absolutely disgusted to discover that the girl still harboured not-so-secret delusions of having a romantic relationship with the hanyou.

_How many times did he need to tell the girl that he was not looking for a romantic relationship with anyone before she got the point?_

Inuyasha hissed softly as his hand came in contact with the swollen mound on his skull. Really, if he didn't need that miko and her mysterious powers, Inuyasha would have long ago shown her the true meaning of the word "pain" in all its dark glory with the finesse granted to him by his demonic blood and years of experience. Of course that would just take too long and the schoolgirl did have an unnaturally shrill voice. Maybe he would just dunk her into a mud-hole in a pig sty, making sure to get the mix of dirt and swine excrements into her mouth. Either would serve the purpose, the latter would spare his sensitive ears.

"I… nu… ya… sha…", a regal voice in the dark said, enunciating the hanyou's name carefully.

"Who's there?" Inuyasha hissed as he hurriedly got to his feet, and drew his useless sword and cursed inwardly. The stupid thing afforded him no protection on the night he was in need of it the most. Inuyasha suppressed a whimper of pain when his already bruised head hit the low ceiling of the cave. His eyes darted frantically left and right as he tried to see in the pitch darkness. The pounding of his heart sounded loudly in his ears.

"Pitiful half-breed that sullies our family name… Sheath our father's mighty fang… You are not worthy of wielding the mighty blade in your present condition…"

"Sesshoumaru…" Inuyasha hissed colour draining from his face as realization hit him. Sesshoumaru… his homicidal half-brother… his homicidal _demon_ half-brother was standing before him while he was practically defenceless against anything larger than a squirrel.

_Kami-sama hates me._ Inuyasha thought as he sheathed the sword and squinted in the dark, slowly edging towards the entrance of the cave as if he could escape the mighty youkai. Quicker than the blink of an eye, Inuyasha found himself whisked out of the cave and had his head bashed against a tree.

"Ow! Put me down! Let go, damn it!" Inuyasha hissed as he struggled against the tree, trying to free himself from the grip of the one-armed dog demon that was holding him none too gently by the neck.

"The night of the new moon, your night of mortality…" Sesshoumaru murmured thoughtfully as his pale yellow eyes peered into Inuyasha's violet. "Then the legend is true. Every hanyou has a time of weakness during which they transform into a full blooded human."

"Yeah… Yeah… Will you put me down now! It's not like I can outrun you or something… Ow! Hey!"

Inuyasha found himself being dropped on his butt promptly. Growling softly, Inuyasha rose to his feet refusing to be intimidated by his demon sibling.

_Great now my ass hurts. Why did the jackass have to slam me against a tree?_

Inuyasha could see Sesshoumaru quite clearly now under the starlit sky; his shimmering long silver hair and pale skin seemed to go out of its way to capture the gentle light. Had Inuyasha's head not been pounding with pain he would probably have been more appreciative of the full demon's ethereal androgynous beauty. But as it was, given the hanyou's brash nature, admiring his half-brother was the farthest thing from his mind.

"Well? Why aren't I dead yet?" Inuyasha asked grumpily, folding his hands over his chest.

Inuyasha looked up at Sesshoumaru only to see a pair of gleaming yellow eyes studying him with predatory interest.

"Sesshoumaru…" Inuyasha whispered now distinctly unnerved. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

_Like a hunting cat watching its prey pinned beneath its paws…_

"Sesshoumaru…?" Inuyasha called uncertainly, taking a step backwards for every step the demon lord took in his direction. "Sesshoumaru snap out of it!"

The fear in Inuyasha's voice seemed to do the trick and Sesshoumaru jerked his head to a side as if shaking off his distracted state.

"Inuyasha…" Sesshoumaru murmured softly as he once again backed Inuyasha against the tree, only this time pressing his armoured chest to the human's. Sesshoumaru looked into Inuyasha's eyes measuringly before whispering softly. "Inuyasha… I will not kill you tonight in your time of weakness… We shall meet again during the light of day once Naraku is defeated… Only then shall I release you from your unworthy existence… We will battle little brother… a battle worthy of the sons of the mighty Inu no Taisho… and this Sesshoumaru shall arise the victor… and then the Tetsaiga shall be restored where it rightfully belongs…"

Sesshoumaru was gently stroking Inuyasha's cheek with his only hand as he whispered all of this under his breath with Inuyasha straining to hear.

"Do you understand me, little brother?" Sesshoumaru asked quietly.

Inuyasha stared into Sesshoumaru's eyes as his own glazed over in thought, he then nodded sharply.

"Yea… I get it… So now what?" Inuyasha asked, unable to mask the relief and trepidation in his voice.

_If Sesshoumaru was not planning on killing me, why was he still here?_

The demon smirked as his gaze travelled from Inuyasha's eyes to his neck.

"Now, little brother?" Sesshoumaru murmured as his golden eyes bled into lethal demonic red and the markings on his face glowed bright. Sesshoumaru gently lifted Inuyasha's dark locks off his left shoulder, baring the side of Inuyasha's neck. "Now I must attend to the small matter of obtaining a meal… It has been a while since I have last fed…"

With those words, Sesshoumaru sank his elongated fangs into Inuyasha's neck making the human cry out in pain. As the darkness crept over his mind and he slowly drifted into unconsciousness, Inuyasha realized that he now knew why he had never seen his demon half-brother feed. Sesshoumaru did not eat human food, or even wild animals.

_The demon lord sustained himself on human blood…_

oOo

Inuyasha woke up when he sensed his transformation taking place, his round human ears repositioning themselves atop his head and his claws lengthening and hardening. Inuyasha waited a few brief moments while his senses grew sharper and strength returned to his limbs. Inuyasha suddenly sat bolt upright, narrowly missing the ceiling.

_Where am I?_

Inuyasha got to his feet slowly, wondering why his movements were so sluggish when the events of the previous night came back to him. Inuyasha cursed his bad karma. Of all the nights of the lunar month, his half-brother had to chance upon him on his cursed night. Inuyasha snapped his head to a side as small scuffing sounds reached his ears. Curiosity getting the better of him, Inuyasha moved deeper into the cave, where he found two rabbits shaking in terror and agony. Inuyasha frowned and wondered why the rabbits were not running away. Taking a closer look, Inuyasha discovered his answer. All four legs of the rabbits have been snapped at the joint, making them unable to move.

Inuyasha figured out that his half-brother must have left them there for him in consideration of his exhausted state. Inuyasha's mouth watered and his stomach rumbled reminding him of his business at hand. First matter of priority, recuperate from his blood loss. Inuyasha lifted one of the pathetic creatures and sliced its neck and body open. He ripped out its heart and swallowed it whole while it still held a pulse. The other rabbit began squealing loudly in terror when it saw what had been done to its companion. Taking pity on the live rabbit, Inuyasha snapped its head of with his claws putting it out of his misery.

Feeling refreshed and energized after having finished his meal, Inuyasha headed out of the cave. At the entrance of the cave, Inuyasha encountered a demonic barrier that prevented entrance into the cave.

Inuyasha snorted to himself. His possessive half-brother had rescued him on many occasions with the declaration that Inuyasha's life was his alone to claim. So it did not surprise the hanyou that his demon sibling had taken precautions to ensure his safety through the night. Drawing his Red Tetsaiga, Inuyasha lightly sliced through the barrier, dispelling it completely and then sheathing it, he leaped towards a stream he scented not too far away. At the stream, the hanyou began to wash away the blood and gore from his person. Inuyasha had taken note of all the signs around the cave that told him that his half-brother had probably left him in the cave a little before midnight and had then gone his own way wherever that may be. When the last of the blood had been washed from his claws, Inuyasha took off in the direction the shard hunter group had camped for the night. As Inuyasha neared the site, the sounds of activity reached his ears.

_Strange… they shouldn't be up this early…_ Curious, Inuyasha picked up his pace and leaped onto the ground into the clearing of the camp.

"Inuyasha!" came a chorus of calls, followed by a loud joyous "meow".

"Huh, what? What's wrong? Did something happen?" Inuyasha asked looking around bewilderedly at his companions who were staring at him with a mix of joy and relief.

_Do I have something on his face?_

Inuyasha checked himself to see if there was any evidence of his meal left upon his person. In his experience, humans did not take well when they discovered that the hanyou fed on raw meat.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome murmured softly as she came forward and embraced the hanyou putting her arms about his waist. "Inuyasha… I was so worried… I thought you could get hurt… it was your human night… and… and… (_sniff)_…"

"Oi! Wench, why are you crying? Hey, you're getting my haori all wet!" Inuyasha exclaimed as he awkwardly patted the crying priestess. He never could stand the sight of a female crying.

Inuyasha stood their for a while holding the sobbing girl, while Miroku, Sango and Shippou stared at him with looks on their face that clearly said, _This is all your fault. You made Kagome cry!_ After a while Inuyasha pulled Kagome away from his chest and murmured, "Hey you about done yet? Quit crying already. I'm fine wench can't you see or have you gone blind while I was gone?"

Kagome pulled away from the hanyou furiously and stared at Inuyasha with rage in her eyes.

"Inuyasha, you insensitive jerk! How dare you make me worry like that? Sit boy! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT!"

Kagome screamed the last "sit" command and then stormed off to pack up her bedroll, and to prepare her meal. Inuyasha gingerly got to his feet as he stared at the shard hunter group go about their business of making breakfast and packing up. He heard Miroku mutter a soft "Will he ever learn?" and Sango muttering an "I doubt it". Even Shippou muttered a "Stupid hanyou" under his breath. Kirara curled about Inuyasha's feet and purred as if trying to comfort the hanyou and Inuyasha smiled at the nekomata and bent down to stroke its fur.

_Hey you take what you get right? No point in griping what you cannot have._

It was a hard lesson that had been ingrained into Inuyasha since the day he was born. Inuyasha dismissed the sadness and humiliation that niggled in his bruised heart and lay back on the grass as he waited for his companions to finish their morning rituals. His feelings were not important. What mattered was that they get moving as soon as possible and defeat Naraku. His heart can wait a little longer. He will care for it when the Shikon no Tama had been completed.

In the back of his mind, Inuyasha thought he detected a sense of curiosity. Inuyasha sat up suddenly. _Curiosity?_ That wasn't his… whose interest was it that he was sensing? As soon as Inuyasha tried to detect the source of the sensation, it suddenly disappeared from his mind like the flame of a candle being snuffed out. He knew it had been there a moment before, but he couldn't find it anymore. Kirara mewed softly as if asking what the matter was. Inuyasha looked down at the cat and found that he did not know what to say.

_I thought someone was looking at us and now they are not. Oh and um… it's just a feeling you know, like the hair on the back of my neck was prickling. And yea I have no idea where it was coming from. Oh and it isn't there anymore…_

Yeah, that would go down really well. The group already doubted the hanyou's sanity, and this would only add fuel to the fire.

"Nah, nothings wrong." Inuyasha murmured as he lay back on the grass and closed his eyes. Somehow the hanyou could not shake off the feeling that they were still being watched although Inuyasha could not sense any sentient creature for miles around.

oOo

**Please take a few seconds to review. Your comments and feedback are most appreciated. **

oOo

**oStilloDreamingo:**

Hello everyone out there. To all of you who are familiar with my other fiction "Hidden in Plain Sight", the two fics are completely unrelated. For this fiction, I am planning to do a sort of SessInu, except it will not be as lovey dovey as it is in my other fic. To anyone wondering – No, I have not quit writing "Hidden in Plain Sight". I am just taking a break from it. The fiction was starting to read mechanical instead of engaging and I was beginning to hate my own writing. I cannot promise when I will be posting the next chapter of that piece. I will for now focus on Real life, School Work and this fan fiction in that order. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I would appreciate any comments you may have. **Constructive criticism would be especially valued.**

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …


	2. Chapter 2

_**For Warnings and Disclaimers, please go to chapter one. **_

oOo

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

**Possession**

**By oStilloDreamingo**

**Chapter 2  
**

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Show yourself!" Inuyasha hissed as he whirled around, his eyes darting all over the forest. 

It had been a little over a week since the night of the new moon, and Inuyasha had been feeling especially on edge. The hanyou was constantly on the alert, investigating every new scent or out of place noises, and taking seemingly circuitous random paths like a curious puppy. Sango had very quickly realized that Inuyasha was doing everything within his power to ensure that the shard hunter group displayed extreme care to not alter their surroundings in any fashion and did not leave behind conspicuous evidence of their passage. The shard hunter group had noticed the inu hanyou's extreme paranoia and had been asking him repeatedly if something was wrong, but Inuyasha had no answer to give. The feeling of being watched the first time when he returned from his encounter with his daiyoukai sibling instead of fading away had only intensified. Previously, the hanyou had not known who it was that he was sensing, but he had a good guess that he was certain of beyond a shadow of doubt.

"Sesshoumaru, I know you're there! Why are you following me?" Inuyasha called out again, this time a little louder.

The hanyou was starting to feel a little foolish when no one responded to his calls. Inuyasha had been stretching all his senses, but could not pick up any scent or other evidence that would prove that the dog lord was indeed stalking his little brother. In the back of his mind, Inuyasha could sense a feeling of cool sardonic amusement. In response, Inuyasha could feel himself beginning to get angry. He wondered how Sesshoumaru was doing it; following him so effectively without giving away a clue as to his whereabouts. Inuyasha had the distinct feeling that somehow his half-brother was aware of his every thought and action, and the notion frustrated him to no end.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku called as he stepped into the clearing Inuyasha was in. "Who were you speaking to?"

Inuyasha looked sharply at the monk and hissed, "Do you see anyone standing here with me?"

Miroku was a little taken aback by the venom in Inuyasha's voice.

"My friend, there is no need to be so irate… I was only concerned for your well-being-"

"Shut up monk, and answer the question." Inuyasha snapped back, not caring in the least for Miroku's show of concern. "Do you see anyone? Sense anyone at all here and around this area?"

Miroku took in the seriousness in his hanyou companion's eyes and decided to humour the silver-haired man.

"There is no one here, save us…" the monk said carefully as he looked around the clearing. "And there are no traces of residual human spirit energy or demonic energy for as far as I can sense…"

"How far can you sense?" Inuyasha asked.

"Less than half a mile on all sides of myself…" Miroku answered.

"Even in the forest full of trees?" Inuyasha hazarded.

"Yes, even inside lush forests… my senses are not hampered… Inuyasha is there something you wanted to talk about… maybe it would help to get it off your chest…" the monk suggested, but Inuyasha was not listening.

_Less than a mile…? Good sensing in forest…?_ Inuyasha thought scornfully.

Miroku's sensing abilities were far weaker than his own, Inuyasha realized. The monk's talents lay in tracking residual auras of humans and demons. And the monk had just claimed that the forest did not hinder his sensing capabilities. As if, that was possible. The forest hindered the senses of even the powerful of youkai, and Inuyasha knew for certain that Kikyo had difficulty locating him when he hid himself amidst the trees in the forest. That meant that either the monk was a liar, or he was a fool that was overconfident of his own capabilities.

"You are certain of this?" Inuyasha asked the monk, as he stared penetratingly into the monk's dark blue eyes. "You sense nothing. Can you sense any wildlife around here? You know rabbits and what not."

Miroku returned Inuyasha's careful scrutiny.

"Inuyasha, I am able to only sense wild creatures when they have their murderous intent directed upon my person. Rabbits are harmless creatures and prey on nothing, so I can't sense them. I am more talented in sensing human emotions… and right now my talents tell me that my good friend is distressed. Perhaps I can be of assistance-"

Inuyasha snorted, cutting off the monk's words rudely.

"Save your assistance for the humans, monk who would be able to pay you lavishly for your services."

Miroku's eyes darkened with rage at the insult, before he calmed down almost immediately with practised ease.

"Inuyasha, it is not fruitful to take out your anger upon others, especially those who are your friends and allies and only seek to aid you." Miroku said in clipped tones. "I will let your insult pass. You are angry right now and are not fully aware of the consequences of your words and actions. I will speak to you again when you have calmed yourself."

With those words, Miroku turned and headed back towards the clearing where the group had camped for lunch.

"Miroku." Inuyasha called out to the retreating monk.

"Yes?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha almost laughed at the monk's hopeful tone. As if he would so easily give away his secrets to a thieving lecherous human that he had the misfortune to travel with for the past two seasons. A shared goal and shared company did not make them friends. Friendship was based on trust, and there was very few that Inuyasha truly trusted with his deepest secrets. Inuyasha looked into Miroku's dark eyes, and felt disgust roil within his belly at the not so well hidden look of self-satisfaction that was present.

The monk needed to be brought down a few notches, it seemed. He could not allow this to continue… allowing the humans to believe that the hanyou could be so easily manipulated.

"Tell everyone to pack up, we're moving. I'll join you in a bit." Inuyasha said calmly, mimicking his brother's smooth commanding tones.

The monk's shoulders tensed for a moment before relaxing.

"Of course." the monk said with an amiability that belied the stony glitter in his eyes as he continued walking down the path.

Inuyasha leaped off to the high tree branches as he completed one last perimeter check. The hanyou was not surprised when he was once again unable to find any traces of the demon lord. Sitting down on his haunches, Inuyasha considered if perhaps his senses were being hampered. He took a deep breath and tasted the air in the back of his nose and mouth.

Forest life… plants… he could tell apart individual plant species with ease. water… tiny critters… a few owls… woodpeckers… other feathered whatnots… hmm nothing special… nope his nose was working just fine.

Inuyasha tipped his head to a side as he carefully listened to the sounds of the forest.

He could hear the tinkling of water in a stream not too far away… no doubt the water source he had scented only moments ago. He could hear the sounds of a few squirrels and mice chattering, chewing and scurrying about as they attended to their special rodent business. He could pick up the sounds of thousands of tiny wing-beats in a honey comb in a tree that was somewhere further inside the forest, out of the half-demon's vision. Inuyasha could hear the shard hunters discussing Inuyasha's "delicate state of mind". Inuyasha snorted when he heard Kagome anxiously inquiring if Miroku saw or sensed Kikyo anywhere around or near Inuyasha, only to have Miroku answer in the negative. Why it was that Kagome thought every time Inuyasha took off into the forest by himself, it was to have a tryst with his former love, Inuyasha had no idea. Inuyasha was a solitary creature by nature, and travelling with a group had been grating on his nerves. He had even explained this to his "pack", but it seemed that along with a very short lifespan, humans also possessed very short memories.

Inuyasha released a pleasured sigh when Shippou rose to defend Inuyasha in his absence, along with Sango and Kirara. Inuyasha found it to be quite adorable how the fox kit would dote on him in his absence, but would put on a front of uncaring when in the presence of Inuyasha. Inuyasha knew that the little fox had taken to looking up to Inuyasha as a father figure, and it frightened the child to love another in the fashion that he loved his own father so soon after his passing. Inuyasha suspected that it also contributed to the demon child's confusion that the alpha male of the pack was a pariah – a hanyou, therefore, he was not fully aware how he should behave in Inuyasha's presence. While Inuyasha wouldn't allow the Shippou to ride on his shoulder as Kirara rode atop Sango at times, he did sometimes allow the kit to snuggle into his shoulder and hair late at night in the rare times he allowed himself to fall asleep.

As Inuyasha leapt off the tree and loped in the direction of the disassembling campsite, something that the demon slayer said made him pause in his tracks.

"Inuyasha is a juvenile hanyou, maybe it is just that he is coming into his powers. I have heard of demons that are able to psychically sense other demons with extreme finesse, although the ones I know about are all marsh dwelling creatures. Very little is known about dog demons. They are a very secretive clan."

_Psychically sensing?_ That did make sense. Maybe he was sensing Sesshoumaru psychically. As soon as the thought came to him, Inuyasha's awareness of Sesshoumaru at the back of his mind grew.

"_Sesshoumaru…"_ Inuyasha called tentatively in his mind, hoping for a response.

After a long time, a surprised almost voice replied.

"_Inuyasha… can you hear me?"_

"_Only barely… Sesshoumaru, what the hell is going on? Why am I sensing you… hearing you inside my head?"_

There was a long silence during which Inuyasha could hear the muted hums of Sesshoumaru's thoughts before the demon _sent_ his reply. Inuyasha strained to make sense of the words that he could barely make out, so silent were they.

"_Continue east from your position Inuyasha. You will come upon myself and my companions within two days walking at human pace. We shall speak then."_

"_Where will we meet?"_ Inuyasha asked, relieved that he was finally going to get some answers. Before this, he never would have thought himself being the one to search out his obsessive aristocratic brother.

The image of a spring lined by large stone slabs with cherry trees clustered around it flashed within Inuyasha's mind.

"_We will meet at this spring. There is a river some distance from the spring. Have your companions set up camp along the river. If you wish to speak, I shall await you by the spring…"_

With those words, the faint hum of thoughts that Inuyasha had unconsciously become accustomed to in the past few days dissipated, leaving behind a silence that made Inuyasha for the first time in his life desperately yearn for company.

"Inuyasha! We are ready to go! Where are you?" Kagome called out.

Inuyasha leaped out into the clearing, startling the humans with his sudden arrival and unnerving them further still when he gave them all a sincere smile of camaraderie.

"We're moving east." Inuyasha called out, setting out himself in the direction.

"Why east?" Sango asked.

"Just a hunch…" Inuyasha answered, surprising everyone with his light-hearted tone. "I think we will find some answers in this direction."

"We might as well go east." Kagome said with a sigh falling in step behind Inuyasha. "I don't sense jewel shards in any direction."

"Mew." Kirara agreed.

"So it's settled then, we are heading east." Sango said as she hoisted her Hiraikotsu onto her back.

As the group continued their long trek, Miroku fell in step beside Inuyasha and softly whispered, "It is good to see you in fine spirits once again, my friend."

Inuyasha turned sharply to look at Miroku. He could sense no deception or self-serving interests from the monk, only a sincere gladness to have things back to normal.

"Heh. It's no big deal." Inuyasha replied, thinking that maybe the monk was not so bad after all. "Just was feeling crappy before. I think I need to get cleaned up a bit. I still have some blood in my hair from our last battle."

Miroku nodded, wincing understandably. "Yes, none of us smell like a bed of roses in our present state. Perhaps we should camp alongside a river so that we can get cleaned up."

Inuyasha snorted.

"Know what monk, I think you're right." Inuyasha murmured amusedly. "Yes, let's camp on a riverside."

Miroku nodded in agreement before falling back beside Sango as he attempted to get close enough to grope the demon slayer's backside. Pretty soon, Inuyasha heard the satisfying sound of flesh striking flesh and a low male whimper as a body fell to the ground. Inuyasha did not even bother to turn around to investigate the sound.

The monk was quiet proficient at manipulating humans, Inuyasha thought. What the monk did not realize that in his world of twisted lies and feelings, very frequently the monk ended up manipulating himself as well as his intended victim.

oOo

**Please take a few seconds to review. Your comments and feedback are most appreciated.**

**Constructive criticism would be especially valued.****  
**

oOo

**oStilloDreamingo:**

To everyone still wondering about "Hidden in Plain Sight", I have out it on hold until March. To everyone who reviewed (IvyLady, littlefiction, DemonGoddess061, Priestess Reiko, Tris the weatherwitch, Princess Sin, C-loke, animelover6000, petpeeves12), thank you so much for your comments. It is always heartening to know that someone out there is enjoying my work. I have renamed this piece to "Possession", because it is more appropriate as will be obvious in future chapters. I expect this piece will span at most 12 chapter, but will likely be under 10. Also, I have to say that my Beta has only proof read about twothirds of this chapter, so i apologize in advance for any "off-putting" grammar or structure errors you may notice. Until next time!

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …


	3. Chapter 3

_**For Warnings and Disclaimers, please go to chapter one. **_

oOo

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

**Possession**

by oStilloDreamingo

Chapter 3

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …

"Inuyasha, why do you not join myself?" Sesshoumaru asked in his usual colourless voice. "There is no reason for us to not converse as we bathe."

Inuyasha was sitting under one of the cherry trees surrounding the spring, uncomfortably aware of the naked demon lord bathing behind him.

"Che. I'm not talking to you until you get dressed. So quit your yapping and finish up already."

The demon lord said nothing in reply as he continued washing himself. It was rather difficult getting to all parts of his body, but after two seasons of practising Sesshoumaru had learned to make do.

Inuyasha could hear the sounds of water splashing not just from directly behind him, but also from his far left out of human earshot. He could hear Kagome and Sango chattering away with their girlie nonsense, while Miroku tried to stifle his perverted giggles as he peeped on the two ladies. It wouldn't be too long before he was caught by the patrolling cat and fox demon.

_No reason to not talk while we are soaking he says._ Inuyasha thought crossly, misquoting the demon lord.

Inuyasha could think of several reasons to not do just that. For one, it felt so very intimate to be holding a conversation while you are bathing, and there was also the implied understanding that the two sharing the bath were on friendly terms and of equal status. The former was highly debatable, and the latter Sesshoumaru would never agree with, so why put up with the illusionary farce of equality? It reminded him of the intimacy and empathy that Kagome and Sango shared, as they used their private time to discuss matters that were so crucial to the female heart but men cared little for. Even the lecherous monk respected it that the girls needed some time away from the males of the group and always peeped from a position from where he would be unable to listen in the the girls conversation held in muted tones.

Of course that did leave the option of talking to the demon lord while he bathed, but to Inuyasha that too was unacceptable. That scenario reminded him too much of the times when he was little and his mother would bathe by herself with her handmaiden standing close by, entertaining her with conversation while assisting the princess with washing her long dark tresses. Inuyasha refused to put himself in a situation where he would seem subservient to his arrogant older half-brother. He would just wait a few more moments for the demon to finish his soak, and then talk to him.

_There is a third reason_, Inuyasha reminded himself, _why he would not strip before his half-brother and stay like that in his presence for any length of time_.

The demon lord was in heat. Inuyasha could scent the thick hot sensual aroma from Sesshoumaru's discarded clothing. The flea demon, Myouga had informed him long ago when Inuyasha's sexuality had first awakened that both the incest taboo and the taboo on same sex relationships were human inventions and as such were held in little esteem by demons. It was arguably true that the demon lord would not try to jump his "filthy hanyou" brother, and as such defile himself by Inuyasha's "impurity", but Inuyasha had his doubts about that. The hanyou had not missed the appraising look in those sex starved eyes when the demon lord asked Inuyasha to strip and join him.

"Foolish hanyou..." Sesshoumaru murmured more in Inuyasha's mind than out loud. "This Sesshoumaru merely wished that you, Inuyasha would clean yourself while the opportunity was available."

Inuyasha snorted rudely.

The hanyou had not survived for so long by presuming good will. The entire world was out to get him, and he knew it. Inuyasha did not have the luxury of assuming anything if he wished to survive to see the rising sun one more time. Think and over think, that was Inuyasha's way of survival, and the only way to be for a hanyou to be considering that he was the eldest of the half-blooded creatures. There are two types of half-demons by Inuyasha's reasoning; the ones that are cautious, and the ones that are dead. In his heart, Inuyasha knew that the other half-demons he had met on his travels would not survive foe very long given their doting rural mothers and empty promises.

Izayoi-hime, Inuyasha's mother was not a very emotional creature, having been brought up within the strict boundaries of tradition. The noble lady had loved in her life only thrice. The first was her parents who had been killed by bandits when she was ten, the second her lover and Inuyasha's father when she was eighteen, and the third, her child when she became twenty one. The violet eyed lady had loved her half-blooded child with all of her being, however being demonstrative was not in her nature. Izayoi-hime expressed her love in the form of long adoring looks, shared silences and quiet kisses. Sweet warm words intended to comfort did not come to her naturally, and she refused to lie to her only child about the harsh reality of the world he was soon to face from the moment of her imminent demise. As such, Inuyasha had been blessed with a childhood without lies and illusions.

Inuyasha pitied the half-demons like Shiori and Jinenji whose human mothers would repeatedly reassure their halfbreed children that soon all will be well. The world was a cruel place for half-demons, Inuyasha knew from firsthand experience. Humans and demons would never learn to accept their mongrel brethren, it would just never be. Inuyasha treasured the memories of the long nights when his mother would hold him in her arms and together they would stare up into the starlit sky in silence.

Sesshoumaru quietly took his place across from Inuyasha, his white silk kimono open, and a towel spread across his back, soaking the moisture from his wet hair. The demon lord held out his yellow monstrosity of an obi to Inuyasha, which the hanyou immediately accepted and tied it about his half-brother's waist in an intricate knot. Inuyasha had always wondered why his temperamental brother tolerated the company of the sycophantic kappa that followed him everywhere. Seeing Sesshoumaru wordlessly requesting his assistance with something as simple as tying his obi, Inuyasha quickly figured out that while it was possible to learn to do most things one-handedly, some endeavours were impossible without the manual dexterity presented by two hands. Jaken, the water imp served to make the demon lord's life easier, and the price for the imp's services was to endure the imp's never ending babble.

Fingering the yellow silk, Sesshoumaru asked in that curiously supple voice that lacked inflection and was half within his mind."Do you find my obi to be so very hideous?"

Inuyasha briefly wondered if dog demons were colourblind. However after sensing the annoyance emanating off his half-brother, Inuyasha gathered that dog demons could see colours just fine, they just lacked good fashion sense. Startled, Inuyasha realized that this was something new. Never before had he been able to sense any of Sesshoumaru's moods, getting only a feeling of cool detachment from the demon lord, but now he could almost taste the bastard's emotions in the back of his mind.

When Sesshoumaru angrily narrowed his eyes at Inuyasha, the hanyou couldn't help but snap, "If you don't like what I'm thinking, stop reading my thoughts! And on that note, how are you doing it anyway? Have you always been reading my thoughts? Are all demons mind readers?"

Inuyasha noticed a smile touch Sesshoumaru's thin lips for a fraction of a second as the demon lord considered Inuyasha's many questions. In the back of his mind Inuyasha could feel Sesshoumaru sifting and searching answers that would satisfy the hanyou's curiosity and at the same time offer the least possible amount of information.

"As always you misunderstand, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru murmured, the mental component of his voice mildly tinted with overtones of amusement. "This is how all demons communicate once they reach adulthood and once this ability is achieved, the physical form stops growing and instead it is our spiritual abilities that are further developed."

"Spiritual abilities?" Inuyasha questioned. He watched a rivulet of water trickle down from Sesshoumaru's bangs, down the side of his face. The demon lord made no attempt to wipe his face dry.

"Yes, Inuyasha. Spiritual abilities." Sesshoumaru replied blandly. "Different demons manifest different types of spiritual abilities, which sometimes translate into empowered physical traits. Your kitsune companion, his abilities lie in the realms of trickery and illusion. The wolf prince empowered by the jewel shards, his gift is the ability to harness the element of wind. My own spiritual abilities that you have yourself witnessed are the ability to move at lightning speed, transform into my animal affine, the ability to generate an energy whip and that I am able to release poison from my hands, to name a few."

Sesshoumaru caught himself there as he shook his head in self mockery. "It would perhaps be more precise to say hand, in consideration of the fact that you have relieved this Sesshoumaru of one of his limbs."

Inuyasha winced at that.

"Well what did you think I would do, huh? Stand there helplessly and scream in terror while you chewed me up and spit me out? And why isn't your arm regenerating anyway? I have had my guts blown away clean, and it also took me about two days to recover fully."

"Ignorant hanyou, it is impossible for a demon to regenerate bone mass. And as for your swift recovery rates, that is a trait common to all half-demons considering your dual heritage." Sesshoumaru said, his mental voice tinged with annoyance.

"Dual heritage?" Inuyasha questioned. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Inuyasha narrowed his amber eyes suspiciously.

_There is something else going on here... some important piece of information that Sesshoumaru is deliberately withholding._

"Sesshoumaru..." Inuyasha hissed. "What aren't you telling me?"

The demon lord studied his younger brother with a calculating gaze.

"Are you desperate for these answers that you seek, Inuyasha." the demon asked coolly as he moved behind Inuyasha before the hanyou could blink.

"How much are you willing to sacrifice in order to find out what it is you need to know?" Sesshoumaru murmured, letting Inuyasha feel his hot breath on his puppy ears, as his razor sharp claws positioned themselves at the hanyou's throat.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha asked coldly, recognizing the intimidation tactics for what it was. Sesshoumaru would not kill him tonight, both of them knew this well, nor could he afford to weaken the hanyou in any fashion. They shared a common enemy, and until the pseudo half-demon Naraku has been defeated, both brothers needed to be at full strength. The Tetsaiga was crucial in their campaign against the sinister half-demon and his minions, and the legendary sword accepted only Inuyasha as its master. Should Inuyasha die, it would be a great loss for those who seek to destroy Naraku, as only Inuyasha was truly proficient in the use of the fang and its legendary powers. Given time, it was likely that Sesshoumaru would be able to overcome the barrier around the blade and learn to wield the Tetsaiga, but time was a luxury that they could not afford.

"A bargain... a trade of sorts..." Sesshoumaru replied as he rested his claws on Inuyasha's pulse. Inuyasha's heart beat smooth, strong and unhurried. The young man would not allow himself to be intimidated Sesshoumaru realized, causing him to almost smile and nuzzle the back of Inuyasha's head rewardingly, causing Inuyasha to stiffen.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha asked quietly, not allowing his voice to betray his nervousness. Behind him the demon lord smirked. Inuyasha's mind was an open book to him now. There was nothing the hanyou could hope to hide from him.

"You will allow me to retrieve my arm, and accompany you along with my companions on your quest to destroy Naraku in exchange for all of your answers."

"What!" Inuyasha yelled. "Why the hell do you want to travel with us anyway? Can't you hunt Naraku down on your own? Besides the black pearl in my eye doesn't work anymore, so you can't go back to get your bones."

Sesshoumaru chuckled almost inaudibly as he murmured, "You needn't concern yourself, Inuyasha. A part of myself resides on the other side of the gateway you hold within you Inuyasha. I will be allowed to pass. And as for Naraku, the half-demon seems to be unable to leave you in peace for long. He bears a heavy grudge against you that causes him to lose his reason and sometimes act rashly in order to cause you pain. The hanyou also seeks to humiliate myself through attacking me and my charge, and that cannot be allowed. Should our company travel together, our strength shall no doubt multiply while Naraku's remains the same."

Inuyasha snorted.

"Che. Naraku grows stronger everyday with every demon he absorbs and every jewel shard he collects."

"Then you agree with this Sesshoumaru that a concentration of power is required?" the demon lord asked softly.

Inuyasha turned around to face the striped visage and cold eyes as he contemplated his reply.

_Giving Sesshoumaru his arm back... that would only harm Inuyasha in the long run, but right now Inuyasha needed Sesshoumaru to be strong if they were to defeat Naraku. And as for allowing Sesshoumaru and his company to travel with his group... he didn't really have a problem with the demon lord as he suspected that Sesshoumaru would try to keep as far away from his company as possible. As for Rin, the child did get kidnapped by Naraku far too frequently. The child had so far been incredibly fortunate to have been rescued before any serious harm could befall her, but it only takes one misstep for your entire existence to crash to pieces. Who knows what could happen should Rin have remained in captivity with Naraku any longer. Sesshoumaru's dragon mount would be an incredible ally on par with Kirara in terms of usefulness in and outside of battle. The only problem he had was with the water imp Jaken. Inuyasha did not think he would be able to tolerate the kappa's high pitched voice as he so eloquently praised Sesshoumaru and put down Inuyasha in the same breath._

"Jaken will be restrained." Sesshoumaru replied to the unspoken thought. "You have my word."

Inuyasha nodded as he stared into Sesshoumaru's yellow eyes that he was aware was now staring deep into his own soul. He wondered why he wasn't feeling more unnerved at having the sanctity of his mind trespassed upon. Another question that just got added to the list of things he needed to find out from his half-brother.

_Yes... maybe... just maybe this could work... Kagome was always prattling on about how he should try and make up with his brother. Of course he wouldn't be trying to do any such thing, but it was a good reason as any to stop the priestess from demanding to know the real reason why the demon lord would be accompanying them. _

Inuyasha was not blind to the abject terror with which the girl from the future regarded the dog demon. Here was a creature she had no hope of ever understanding or controlling. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's dislike for each other was mutual, and a priestess in a skimpy outfit could lecture all she wanted, however two hundred years of cultivated animosity did not go away so easily.

"What about my eye? Last time you plucked out the pearl, you almost blinded me."

_Miroku, Sango and Kirara would be understanding of the need for Sesshoumaru's strength in battle, that also wouldn't be a problem, and Shippou would find himself a new playmate in Rin. It was no secret that the baby fox found the constant adult company tiring._

"I will be more careful." Sesshoumaru replied. "And as for any damage to your eye, your human blood will not allow you to remain damaged for long. You will recover fully."

Inuyasha noticed Sesshoumaru once again alluded to his human blood as being the source of his miraculous healing powers and not his demon blood.

"No games, Sesshoumaru." Inuyasha said, his voice hardening. "You will give me straight detailed answers to all of my questions and any other information you might find is relevant for me to know."

"You have my word." Sesshoumaru repeated his metallic eyes focused on Inuyasha's amber.

The eyes are the gateway to the soul, or so they say. Inuyasha had always been gifted with the ability to tell when a person was not speaking the truth and in Sesshoumaru's eyes he could detect no falsehood. Inuyasha sighed inwardly wondering exactly how much Sesshoumaru's word was worth. While it was true that the demon lord was speaking the truth at that moment, it was debatable if his sincerity would persist when come the actual time to deliver on his promise.

"Okay, deal." Inuyasha said deciding abruptly. He would deal with the consequences of his judgement later. "Go get your bones."

Sesshoumaru nodded sharply and immediately set about the task of extracting the pearl from Inuyasha's eye. Only this time, it did not hurt at all as silken energy threads from Sesshoumaru's fingers gently eased the pearl out of the pupil.

"You will not regret this." Sesshoumaru promised, as he disappeared across the portal.

Inuyasha sighed as he watched Sesshoumaru reemerge with all of his bones and close the gate behind him and begin the tedious task of aligning all of his bones correctly. Seeing that Sesshoumaru was preoccupied, Inuyasha went back to the spring, stripped himself and began washing his body. As Inuyasha washed his long silver hair, it occurred to him that he would not be very happy about giving Sesshoumaru his arm back when the time came for their scheduled battle after Naraku's demise. In fact the hanyou was very certain that he would regret his decision, no matter what Sesshoumaru had said earlier.

Inuyasha felt the pressure of Sesshoumaru's mind upon his own mind increase momentarily and then fade away again to match the steady beat of his pulse. There was distinct sense of curiosity colouring the demon lord's psyche along with a myriad of other feelings that Inuyasha had difficulty recognizing. The only other mood that stood out aside from the curiosity was a sense of wonder and confusion. Inuyasha gave the demon lord no more thought as he concentrated and resumed the tedious task of untangling and combing his messy hair with only his clawed hands.

oOo

**Please take a few seconds to review. Your comments and feedback are most appreciated.**

**Constructive criticism would be especially valued.****  
**

oOo

**oStilloDreamingo:**

To everyone who reviewed (Silvermane1, littlefiction, Sesshygirl, RKInu241, halwen, IvyLady, animelover6000, C-loke, Princess Sin, slyswn28, DemonGoddess061, petpeeves12, Priestess Reiko, Lady Yueh, SANGO QUEEN OF SLAYERS) thank you so much for your comments.

This chapter was for me rather experimental. I have always wanted to write introspective pieces, but unfortunately, my talent lies more in descriptive and narrative styles of writing rather than introspective. This chapter was intended to be introspective, and I hope I have had some success in my endeavour. Again, I have to say that my Beta has not had the chance to proof read this considering it is her exam time. So if anyone out there finds any grammar mistakes in my fic, please feel free to point them out to me. I will correct them immediately. I hope everyone enjoys this chapter.

Also, I would like to take this opportunity to publicize my** C2 community: INUCEST **that is devoted to well written fics involving the inu siblings in a romantic relationship. I am still looking for more staff members so that I am able to keep track of every single fic that may be a contender for the archive. Since I track by summary and character searches, I'm sure I probably missed quite a few. So all the help I can get will be appreciated!

… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …


End file.
